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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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RULES 



THE GOVERNMENT 



THE PUBLIC SCHOOLB 



IN THE 



CITY OF WASHINGTON 



Gideon and Co., Printers. 



LIST OF BOOKS 



AUTHORIZED TO BE USED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF WASHINGTON CITY. 



PEIMAEY CLASSES. 

Webb's Normal Reader, No. 1. 

Swan's Spelling Books, 1st and 2d. 

Reading Books — Swan's Readers, Nos. 1, 2, and 3. 

Swan'sGraramar School Reader,(improved edition.) 
Oram's Definer. 
Writing — Rand's Series, Becker's Series, or Winchester's Series. 
Arithmetic — Davies's First Lessons, (mental.) 

Davies's School Arithmetic. 
Grammar — Smith 's . 

Geography — ^Mitchell's Primary and Intermediate. 
History — Davenport's History of the United States. 

Olney's History of the United States. 

Goodrich's Pictorial History of the United States. 
Philosophy — Parker's First Lessons. 
Holbrook's Geometrical Catechism and Drawing Cards. 



SUPBEIOE CLASSES. 

Swan's Second Speller. 
Scholar's Companion. 
Reading Books — District School Reader. 
Young Ladifes' Reader. 
Writing Books — ^Rand's Series, Becker's Series, or Winchester's 

Series. 
Arithmetic — Colburn's First Lessons. 
Davies's Series. 
McCurdy's 
Grammar — Green's. 
History — Worcester's Elements. 

Goodrich's Pictorial History of the United States. 
Pinnock's History of Greece, Rome, England, and France. 
Geometry — Mensuration — Algebra — Davies's Series. 
Geography and Atlas — ^Mitchell's. 
Astronomy — Smith's. 

Guy's Astronomy, and Keith on the Globes. 
Philosophy — Parker's. 

Anatomy, Physiology, and Hygiene — Cutter's. 
Book-keeping — Winchester's. 



RULES 

FOB 

THE GOVERNMENT 

OP THE 

DISTRICT AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS. 



ADMISSION. 



All white children, between the age of six and sixteen years, within 
the respective School Districts aforesaid, shall be admitted into the 
schools, and shall be taught upon the most approved methods of im- 
parting common school instruction, in accordance with the following 
provisions: 

1. Application for admission shall be made to a Trustee of the School 
district in which the party applying residesj and the Trustee, on being 
satisfied that the child presented is a suitable candidate for admission, 
shall grant a permit, addressed to the Teacher of such school within 
his district, as he may think proper to select. Provided that, in order 
to diffuse the advantages of the pubhc schools amongst our citizens as 
much as possible, not more than two pupils shall be admitted from any 
one family, until it be shown to the satisfaction of the sub-board of 
the District that the full number of pupils cannot be made up under 
this restriction; as vacancies occur, they shall be admitted in the order 
of application. 

2. No pupil shall be admitted into any school without a ticket of 
permission addressed to the Teacher, and signed by one of the Trus- 
tees of the District to which the school belongs. 

PRIMARY SCHOOL TICKET. 

To the Teacher of the Primary School, No. —.of — District: 

The bearer, A. B., aged years months, is entitled to be 

admitted into your school. 

7 Ofthe Sub-board of 
> Trustees of said 
Washington, 185 ^3 ^'^*"*'*- 

3. The number of pupils to be admitted into any single school shall 
not exceed seventy at any one time; and the number to be admitted 
into a school having a principal and an assistant Teacher in the same 
room, shall not exceed one hundred and forty at any one time, at the 
discretion of the sub-boards; and for each additional assistant Teacher 
seventy additional pupils may be admitted. 



4. No pupil shall be received from another Public School without a 
certificate of honorable dismission, or a specification of the reasons for 
leaving; and no pupil shall be received from one Public School into 
another while under sentence of suspension, unless by a vote of the 
Board of Trustees. 

5. Whenever a pupil, or an applicant, has been found, on examin- 
ation, qualified for admission into a District School, a certificate may 
be given, in the following form, which shall admit the applicant in the 
order of application, subject to the proviso in the first section; and, in 
case of a conflict between pupils from a Primary School and others, 
the former shall have the preference. 

DISTRICT SCHOOL TICKET. 

Admit the bearer, A. B,, if found qualified, into the District 

School. 

}0f the Sub-board 
of the District. 

To THE Teacher. 

6. In each Public School a register shall be well and carefully 
kept, in which shall be recorded the name, age, and number of every 
pupil, the time of admission, by whose ticket, and also the name and 
occupation of the parent or guardian; and also the names of all appli- 
cants for admission, which, when full, shall be deposited in the library 
of the Board. 

STUDIES IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS. 

7. The alphabet, including the powers of the letters, exercises in ar- 
ticulation for the purpose of cultivating a distinct, natural, and correct 
utterance of words. For this object there shall be frequent exercises 
by the pupils, singly and simultaneously, in exploding the letters and 
combination of letters. Reading, Spelling, marks of Abbreviation and 
Punctuation, Arithmetical Signs and Tables, mental and written Arith- 
metic, Geography with the study of outline Maps, Writing, Drawing, 
Vocal Music, and such Oral Instruction as may accustom the pupils to 
habits of observation and reasoning upon whatever they see and hear, 
and conduce to their mental and moral improvement. 

8. It is recommended to the Teachers to give as much instruction as 
is practicable orally and by means of the black board; to have the num- 
ber of classes as small as is consistent with the unequal progress of the 
scholars; to prevent the pupils sitting long in one position or without 
occupation; frequently to vary the school exercises, so as to awaken 
and fix the attention of chil&ren; to make motion at regular intervals a 
part of the school exercises, and to have the lessons on common things 
illustrated, as far as practicable, by the objects themselves. 

SCHOOL HOURS. 

9. There shall be two terms or sessions, morning and afternoon, or 
first and second, for each school day. From 1st of April to 30th of 



September the morning term shall commence at eight, and end at 
twelve o'clock ; the afternoon term shall commence at one and 
end at four o'clock, p. m. From 1st of October to 31st of March the 
morning term shall commence at nine and end at twelve o'clock, and 
the afternoon term shall commence at one and end at four o'clock, 
p. m. The hour from twelve to one shall be a recess, and in 
addition to this, fifteen minutes may be allowed, at the discretion of the 
Teacher, about the middle of each term, for relaxation in or out of 
doors, according to the state of the weather; and it shall be allowable 
for the Teachers to release the pupils of the lowest class, who are 
of tender years, one half hour before the end of the afternoon session, 
care being taken to have their recitations made to suit this arrangement. 
Should the weather prove very inclement during the morning term, 
the one hour recess may be omitted, and the school dismissed for the 
day at two o'clock, p. m. 

DISTRICT SCHOOLS. 

Qualifications for Admittance, 

10. Pupils may be admitted into the District Schools who have 
attained the age of ten years, and who, after being examined by one 
or more of the Sub-Board of the district, or by the Teacher, are found 
capable of reading easy prose, of spelling well, who are acquainted 
with the punctuation marks, with arithmetical figures and characters, 
notation and numeration, with the tables, and are capable olTperform- 
ing simple operations in the four primary rules ; subject, however, to 
the restrictions made in the first and fom-th sections. 

11. In case there are not a sufficient number of such applicants, 
others may be admitted for a limited time, at the discretion of the 
Sub-Boards. 

STUDIES. 

12. Orthography, including the powers of the letters, exercises in 
articulation, analysis and definition of words with the suffixes and pre- 
fixes, Reading with Elocution, Penmanship, Geography, English 
Grammar with Composition, History, Arithmetic, mental and written. 
Algebra, mental and written. Geometry, Trigonometry, with its appli- 
cation to Mensuration, Surveying and Navigation, with occasional 
practical lessons in the use of the compass and chain, and the meas- 
urement of surfaces and solids. Book-keeping, Human Physiology, 
Constitution of the United States, Astronomy, Natural Philosophy, 
and Chemistry. The Teachers are recommended to connect the 
study of Geography with that of the outline maps, and with occasional 
lessons in map drawing. 

13. Elementary lessons in drawing and vocal music may be given 
occasionally, at the discretion of the Teacher. 



14. Oral instruction, so as to render the lessons interesting and 
intelligible, is recommended. 

15. It is expected that all the pupils will be constantly exercised at 
the black-board in their various studies ; and they shall have one 
or more lessons assigned them daily to be studied out of school. 

VACATION. 

16. There shall be a vacation from and after the termination of the 
exercises of each year, to continue until the first Monday in Septem- 
ber, on which day the next school year shall commence. 

HOLYDAYS. 

17. One week at Christmas; the 22d of February; two days at 
Easter, Good Friday and Easter Monday; the 4th of July; Thanks- 
giving Day, and every Saturday shall be holydays, and none other 
without special permission from the respective Sub-Boards of Trustees. 

SCHOOL REGULATIONS. 

18. The following rules which relate to pupils shall constitute a 
weekly exercise, to be read to the School by the Teacher, or by one 
or more of the first class. 

PUPILS. 

19. When the example of aiiy pupil is very injurious, and in all 
cases where reformation appears hopeless, it shall be the duty of the 
Teacher, with the approbation of the Sub-Board, to suspend such 
pupil from the school, in which case immediate notice of the same 
shall be given by such Principal to the parent or guardian, stating the 
cause of such suspension, and all the circumstances connected there- 
with. But any pupil under this public censure, who shall express to 
the Teacher his regret for his folly or indiscretion, as openly and ex- 
plicitly as the nature of the case may require, and shall have given 
evidence of amendment, shall, with the previous consent of said Sub- 
Board, be reinstated to the privileges of the School. 

20. No pupil, except as previously provided in section nine, shall 
be permitted to leave the premises before the proper hour for dismissing 
school, except in case of sickness or pressing emergency, or where the 
privilege may be granted as a reward of merit. 

21. The use of tobacco in the Public Schools is strictly prohibited. 

22. Continued irregularity, frequent absence, tardiness of attendance, 
immoral conduct, a neglect on the part of parents and guardians to 
furnish the necessary school books, shall be sufficient reasons for sus- 
pension, unless satisfactory reasons be assigned by the parent or guar- 
dian. And it shall be the duty of the Teachers to report to a Trustee, 



any and all cases of such delinquencey which may occur, and which 
they may deem worthy of suspension. A continued absence of one 
week or more, without satisfactory explanation or excuse, may be 
deemed good cause for dismissal by the Sub-Boards. 

23. Obedience to Teachers, good order and propriety of conduct at 
and near the school houses, and personal cleanliness, are required of 
all pupils. 

TEACHERS. 

24. In addition to the register of admissions, each Teacher shall 
keep a record in the form which may be prescribed, which shall, at all 
times, be open to the inspection of the Trustees. A copy, or abstract, 
as may be required, of all the entries for each month on this record 
shall be made out and returned to the Board of Trustees, on which it 
shall be the duty of each Teacher to report all the school time which 
may have been lost by them during the month, with the causes of such 
loss. 

25. Tickets of merit shall be given at the close of each month, to 
such pupils as the Teachers may consider specially worthy to be dis- 
tinguished on account of their good conduct and proficiency in studies. 

26. Mild and conciliatory discipline is enjoined on all Teachers, 
and the avoidance of corporal punishment, as far as may be, under a 
due regard to the necessity for obedience on the part of the pupil. 

27. In cases of difficulty in the discharge of their official duty, or when 
any temporary dispensation in their favor is desired, the Teachers shall 
apply to their respective Sub-Boards for advice and direction. 

28. At the close of the school year the Principal Teacher of each 
School shall submit to the Board a condensed abstract of the monthly 
reports of the School for the year, stating the whole number of pupils 
admitted during the year, the number withdrawn, the number at the 
beginning and end of the year, the average attendance and the time in 
days actually lost by absence of pupils, with the names of the pupils 
most distinguished for good conduct, proficiency, and advancement, 
and regular attendance. 

29. The Principal Teacher of each school-house or school-room is 
accountable for the punctual observance of the hours for opening and 
closing the Schools; for proper ventilation, cleanliness, and order. He 
or she is responsible for the discipline of the pupils, for the safe-keeping 
of the furniture and other City property in his or her charge. He or 
she will see that the regulations of the general and sub Boards be duly 
executed, and is accordingly invested with the discretion and authority 
to carry these objects into effect. 

ASSISTANT TEACHERS. 

30. The Assistant Teachers are required, in their several departments 
of duty, to see that the rules of the School are rigidly enforced, and in 

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the manner required by the Principal, and Sub-Boards. They will 
report to the Principal cases which may require the exercise of his or 
her authority. They will receive from him or her directions in refer- 
ence to the mode of imparting instruction, of maintaining order, and of 
superintending their classes. They will execute such of the general 
duties of the School as may be assigned to them. A cheerful compli- 
ance with all directions, and a zealous co-operation with the Sub-Board, 
the Principal, and other Teachers, will be expected from each Assis- 
tant. 

APPOINTMENT OF TEACHE-RS. 

31. Candidates for appointment will pass such an examination, in 
respect to their qualifications, as shall be satisfactory to the Board of 
Trustees. 

Persons elected teachers, unless from any cause their offices be va- 
cated, will continue in office till the succeeding annual election, and 
may be assigned or transferred to such schools as the Board of Trustees 
may deem best for the public interests. 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 

32. The Board of Trustees will be governed in their proceedings,. so 
far as the nature of the case will admit, by the rules of order adopted 
by the City Councils. 

SUB -BOARDS. 

33. It shall be the duty of the several Sub-Boards, in all cases, to 
confine the expenses of their respective schools within the limit of the 
appropriation made for their support. 

34. It shall be the duty of the Sub-Boards to present to the Board at 
their monthly meetings all bills against their districts. 

x^ 35. Every bill or account when presented shall be certified by two of 
/ the Sub-Board of the District, and before being paid shall be passed by 
\a, majority of the Board present at any meeting. 

36. The Sub-Boards are expected to visit their respective schools, 
and render themselves familiar therewith, and in general to co-operate 
with the Teachers in their endeavors to remedy existing defects, and 
improve the discipline and instruction of the schools; and, from time to 
lime, see that the pupils have been properly vaccinated. 

37. The Sub-Boards are especially charged to have the necessary 
arrangements made for the accommodation of the pupils and Teachers, 
the ventilation and graduation of the heat qf the school-rooms, and it is 
enjoined upon Teachers to attend particularly to the proper use of the 
means thus provided. 

38. No books or stationery shall be purchased except upon an order 
signed by one member of the Sub-Board of the District, and only such 



11 

as shall be deemed necessary for the supply of indigent pupils and for 
the general use of the schools. 

39. Whenever books are loaned to indigent pupils the Principals 
shall charge them in a book kept for the purpose, and shall require 
them to be returned when the pupils leave school. 

40. An examination of the several Schools shall be made, before the 
close of each year, under the direction of the General Board; and any 
pupil who may absent himself or herself from such examination, with- 
out cause assigned, may be suspended or dismissed by the Sub-Boards. 

41 . The Sub-Boards shall give their advice to the Teachers in any 
emergency, and they shall take cognizance of any difficulty which may 
have occurred between the Teachers- and parents or guardians of the 
pupils, or between the Teachers themselves, relative to the government 
or instruction of the School. An appeal, however, to the whole Board 
is not hereby denied to any citizen or Teacher. 

TREASURER. 

42. Jt shall be the duty of the Treasurer to pay all bills that shall 
be approved by the Board, to keep correct books of his accounts, in 
which shall be entered an abstract of each account, the name of the 
payee, the date of such account, the time of its approval and payment, 
and shall afford such information in relation to his accounts as may, 
from time to time, be required of him by the Board or any Trustee. 

SECRETARY' S ^DUTIES. 

43. The Secretary shall have charge of the records of the Board and 
all papers directed by them to be kept on file; he shall keep a fair and 
full record of all the proceedings of the Board; he shall notify all stat- 
ed and special meetings, the Instructors of their appointments, and he 
shall give such other notices as the Board may require. 

44. Whenever required, he shall make the annual and other reports 
of the Boards. In the annual report shall be exhibited the operations 
of the Schools the past year, their present condition and future pros- 
pects, including a tabular statistical statement thereof. He will endea- 
vor, by occasional visits to the Schools, to inform himself of their con- 
dition, and thus be able to suggest improvements and the remedy for 
defects. 

45. When deemed expedient, he may call occasional meetings of the 
Teachers and citizens, to interchange opinions upon matters connected 
with school discipline and instruction, Tn order to create interest in the 
subject of public education as well as harmony of action. 

46. He shall likewise prepare short abstracts of the proceedings of the 
Board for publication, and perform such duties connected with the ad- 
ministration of the Public School system as may, from time to time, be 
imposed upon him by the Board. 

47. He shall also act as the Librarian of the Board, attend to the re- 
ception and delivery of the books, and see that all books are properly 
numbered and registered. 



UBRARY OF CONRPPce ^ 

020 975 519 1 







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